Track approach bridge



Oct. 31, 1944- H. H.| ROSE1BROOK ETAL 3 L TRACK APPROACH BRIDGE Filed Feb. 6, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet l NVENTORS HHEUEBBHUUK F D. 'USEEIR'DEIK ArfrJ.

1 i H. H. ROSEBROOK ETAL TRACK APPROACH BRIDGE Filed Feb. 6, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 o INVENTOR. Hl-IR USEERUIJK QFDRDSEBRBDK ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 31, 1944 TRACK APPROACH BRIDGE Harry H. Rosebrook and Freeman D. Rosebrook, Oak Park, Ill.

Application February 6, 19l2, Serial No. 429,776

4 Claims.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a track approach bridge for bridging the joints between abutting track rails such as the approaches to a track scale or the like.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved means for transferring the load of a railway car to the bridge member during the time that the wheel of the car is being-carried from the stationary rail to a movable rail to prevent damage to the trackadjacent the rail joint and prevent shock to the movable rail or the like.

A still further object of our invention is to provide a track approach bridge that is extremely economical in manufacture, durable and efficient in use, and to provide one that is self aligning, nonsticking, and one that is equipped with guide members for assuring its positive function.

These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Our invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in our claims, 'and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a prospective view of our device ready for use and viewed from the. approach end of the device.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of our track approach bridge and more fully illustrates its structure.

Fig. 3 is an end cross sectional view of the device and is taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an end cross sectional view and is taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Figure 5 is a longitudinal side elevation View in cross section of our device showing it in its normal position.

Figure 6 is a longitudinalside elevationview in cross section of our device showing it as a car wheel passes over it.

This invention relates to and is an improvement on the devices illustrated, described and claimed in the United States Letters Patent of Lucius R. Rosebrook and assigned to us, The said patent being granted on January 6, 1925, Number 1,521,716 for a Bridge for abutting track rails.

Previously, attempts to bridge abutting rails have relied mostly on a rigid bridge designed to carry the flange of the wheel, preventing the body of the wheel from contacting therail at the joints. This necessitates a long approaching and let off bridge, which is inadvisable due to the fact that the lowering end of the bridge must, of necessity be absolutely independent of the movable rail such as used in a scales, and such a long overhang of the bridge would have to be constructed rigidly enough to withstand the weight of a loadedcar. Also as the weight of the forward portion of the car is on the scale the rearward wheel would have to drop considerably lower due to the depression of the rail through the load of the forward portion of the car. 4

We have overcome all such disadvantages and several other disadvantages that will be apparent andthat will be noted hereinafter.

Referring to the drawings, we have used the numeral 10 to indicate a railroad rail rigidly secured to the plate members II and which will hereinafter be designated as the rigid or approach rail. The number l2 indicates a movable rail supported and secured to a beam I3 which in turn is a part of a scale or the like. The abutting joint of the rails we have indicated by the numeral 14. It is between such a rigid or fixed rail II] and movable rail I2 that we utilize our track approach bridge which we will now describe. We have used the numeral IE to indicate a channel block secured to the plates ll over the flange or lip of the rail l0 and having a vertical guide rail I6 integrally formed thereon on the inside marginal edge as shown on the drawings. We have used the numeral I! to indicate the bridge portion of the device having its upper portion crowned longitudinally and having on it approach end the enlarged portion l8. This enlarged portion 18 is tapered or sloped toward its base and fits loosely within the block 15 between the guide rail I6 and the web of the rail It), as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings. The number 19 indicates a lug formed on the approach end of the-bridge I! to which is secured the elongated flat spring member 20. The other end of this spring member i suitably secured to a railroad tie or the like 20. This spring holds the track bridge in a slightly elevated position and fulcrumed on the rear end of the block l5 as shown in Fig. 5 at 25 of the drawings. We have used the numeral 2| to indicate a plate secured to the movable beam l3 and having the guide rails or blocks 22 and 23 thereon for aligning and guiding the forward end of the track bridge I! as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. We have used the numeral 24 to indicate the wheel of a loaded car as shown by dotted lines in Figs. 3 and 4 and indicating position of rail bridge under load.

The practical operation of our device is as follows: The block I5 is secured over the stationary rail as shown in Fig. 4 adjacent the track joint [4. The block 2! is placed on the movable rail as shown in Fig. 3. The spring 20 is secured in place causing the ramp or bridge to fulcrum or pivot on the rearward or approach end of the block l5. The forward or free end of the bridge I! fits loosely between the guides 22 and 23 and the device i ready for use.

When a car is moved over the stationary rail II] the flange of the wheel 24 engages the crowned portion of the bridge I! depressing it against the tension of th spring 20. The bridge is depressed until it rests on the block 2| thus holding it securely even with, or slightly above the joint 14, and preventing the weight of the wheel from contacting the rails While the wheel is passing over the joint I4. The flange is then eased downward by the natural crown of the bridge until the weight of the wheel is resting on the track l2. Thus no strain is put on the abutting ends of the rail at the joint I4. Inasmuch as the free end of the bridge I! does not maintain its contact with the movable rail l2 no false readings on the scales will result.-

In Fig. 4 it will be noticed that the flange I6- acts as one of the guides for the approach ends of the bridge while the web of the rail Ill acts as the other uide and these sides of the shoulder I8 are sloped to prevent sticking of the bridging device. The top or crown portion of the bridge I! is flat and not convex thereby preventing a great deal of the spreading caused by the hammering of the wheels on the bridge. The Wheels are eased off of the rail ID by the ramp I! and gently lowered onto the rail I 2 thereby preventing damage to the rail ends and also to the scale and other movable mechanism.

Thus it will be seen that we have provided a track bridge which fulfills all of our objects and presents many more obvious advantages.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of our improved track approach bridge without departing from the real spirit and purpose of our invention, and it is our intention to cover by our claims any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may be reasonably included within their scope.

We claim:

1. In a track approach bridge for railway scales, a stationary rail, a block element fixedly secured adjacent to the rail, a vertically movable rail and a block fixedly secured djacent thereto, a longitudinally crowned bridge member adapted to be seated on said blocks and support wheels passing over the joint between said rails, and a leaf spring fixedly attached at one end to a support and at the other end to the rear end of said bridge member, extending rearwardly from the bridge member and adapted to hold the free end of said member in a raised position above said second mentioned block.

2.-In a device of the class described, a stationary rail, a vertically movable rail abutting the stationary rail, a block element fixedly secured adjacent the stationary rail, a second block element fixedly secured to the vertically movable rail, a longitudinally crowned track approach bridge adjacent the stationary and vertically movable rails and the abutting ends thereof adapted to be seated for vertical sliding and rocking movement on said blocks, and a leaf spring fixedly attached at one end to a support and at the other end to the bridge member and adapted to normally hold the bridge member out of contact with the second named block element, to permit vertical and rocking movement thereof and prevent longitudinal movement of translation thereof.

3. In a track approach bridge, a fixed rail, a vertically movable rail abutting the fixed rail, a channel block secured adjacent the fixed railroad rail and parallel therewith, a second block element fixedly secured to the vertically movable rail, a track approach bridge fulcrumed for movement in a longitudinal vertical plane on said channel block adjacent its rearward end and having its free end extending beyond the end of said fixed rail so that the overhang is adjacent and parallel to the movable rail; said track approach' bridge being crowned longitudinally, guide members secured adjacent said movable rail for guiding said track approach bridge in a vertical direction, and an elongated leaf spring element having one of its ends secured to the approach end of said track approach bridge and its other end secured adjacent the stationar rail for normally supporting said track approach bridge at its free ends in a raised position out of supporting engagement with the second named block element.

4. In a track approach bridge, a fixed rail, a vertically movable rail, a channel block secured adjacent the end of a stationary rail, said channel block having a flange along its inner marginal edge and having its other parallel marginal edge adjacent the web of said fixed rail, a block element fixedly secured to the vertically movable rail, a track approach bridge fulcrumed for movement in a longitudinal vertical plane on the rearward end of said channel block and having its side shoulders tapered and loosely mounted between said fiange and the web of said rail, a leaf spring tension means secured to the approach end of said track approach bridge for yieldingly holding said bridge at its free end in a raised position normally out of supporting engagement with the block member of the vertically movable rail, said track approach bridge extending beyond the end of said fixed rail, and guide members I secured adjacent the movable rail and guiding said track approach bridge in a vertical direction, thereby permitting vertical and rocking movement but preventing longitudinal movement thereof as wheels pass over the channel block.

HARRY H. ROSEBROOK. FREEMAN D. ROSEBROOK. 

